I Will Follow You, My Love
by SeaWraith46
Summary: Elsa and Sera are happy with their lives together in Arendelle and don't want a single thing to change. Then Elsa hears a voice calling our to her that completely transforms their lives and forces them to confront who they truly are. - Based on Frozen 2 with canon divergence; Femslash Elsa/Female OC; some Kristanna
1. Chapter 1 - The Way Things Are

**Hey readers! I'm back with a sequel to You, My Queen!**

**So, I saw Frozen 2 and immediately started thinking about how Sera would fit into it and this fic happened. There were a lot of things I liked about Frozen 2, but they tried to cram so much stuff into it that none of the characters actually got a chance to talk to each other about something meaningful for more than twenty seconds. The purpose of this fic is to weave Sera into the events of Frozen 2 and to make the characters have some god damn full-length conversations.**

**Life is pretty hectic for me right now, so I can't commit to an update schedule but I PROMISE it won't take me four years to finish this fic and I absolutely will not leave the story on a huge cliff hanger for almost a year (my bad).**

**Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the fic!**

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Elsa stood on the balcony, gazing at the stars overhead. Noise from the party in the ballroom behind her drifted out the open doors, laughter and conversation she couldn't quite make out. She sighed happily as she braced her hands against the stone railing. Tilting her head further back, she closed her eyes, a small smile pulling at her lips. Things really couldn't get any better. She and her sister had opened the gates for good and welcomed the citizens of Arendelle in the castle. Tonight's party was just one example, a gathering for the guild masters of the kingdom.

And Sera was her date to the party. Elsa's smile got even bigger when she thought about it. She had been so nervous about telling the people of Arendelle about her girlfriend, especially after it seemed like Sera had betrayed them, but everyone had been understanding. Not just understanding, but happy, happy that their queen was out in public again and had found someone to love.

Elsa brought her hand up to her collarbone, rolling the pendant of her necklace between her fingers. The pendant was a teardrop-shaped piece of silver attached to a thin metal chain. In the center of the pendant was a small, pulsing ball of fire. The fire was connected to Sera's powers, which meant it heated or sparked depending on how Sera was feeling. Sera had a matching one that was synched to Elsa's powers and emotions as well. The necklaces had been Sera's idea, a way for them to sense each other's true feelings in case something ever got between them again.

She and Sera were safe, Anna was in her life again, and the castle gates were open. Elsa was happier than she had ever been in her life.

Suddenly, a voice called out in the night, pulling Elsa out of her reverie. She opened her eyes, glancing around her to see where the voice had come from. No one at the party inside seemed to be singing or reacting to the noise. Elsa frowned, her brow creasing as the voice called out again. A series of four notes, sung softly but firmly. And apparently only she could her them.

"Your majesty?"

Kai's voice came from behind her, startling her so much that ice shot from her fingers, binding her hands to the railing in front of her.

If Kai noticed the ice around Elsa's hands, he didn't mention it. "A guest would like to speak with you, your majesty," he said with a bow.

"Right, okay, yes," Elsa said. She looked down at her hands for a few seconds, then yanked them free of the ice. She paused, glancing around one last time for the source of the voice, then shook herself and followed Kai back into the party.

Kai led her on a winding path through the party, coming to a stop where Sera was conversing with the head blacksmith, Erik, and master jeweler, Asmund. Elsa moved to stand next to Sera, slipping her hand in Sera's and intertwining their fingers. Sera shot her a smile before turning back to the conversation.

Erik gave Elsa a half-bow before addressing her. "I wanted to thank you for the lovely party, your highness." He winked at Sera. "The flowers, in particular, are wonderful. Very elegant."

Sera nodded. "Thank you. I put them together myself."

"You should come see the castle gardens sometime," Elsa said, smiling as she saw Sera's cheeks color out of the corner of her eye. "Sera's been in charge of those for the last two years and at this point they're pretty spectacular." Elsa rubbed the back of Sera's hand with her thumb, hoping she would be forgiven for pulling Sera further into the spotlight. She knew she had when Sera squeezed her hand and smiled.

Asmund sniffed and Elsa braced herself, knowing from previous engagements that he was about to say something impolite. "I do question, however, the use of daffodils in the bouquets for tonight." He gave the nearest flower display a withering look. "That yellow is far too garish."

Elsa barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. She looked at Sera, frowning when she saw her stiffen and clench her jaw. There was a beat of silence as everyone waited for Sera to say something. When she didn't, Erik, who Elsa knew was a friend of Sera's, cleared his throat and spoke in Sera's defense. "I think 'garish' might be a little harsh."

Asmund waved a hand dismissively. "Perhaps. But I do think I'd be more knowledgeable on the looks of things than a man who shoes horses for a living."

Erik frowned, trying to decide if this was a fight worth getting into for Sera's sake. Elsa looked at Sera, who still hadn't said anything and had a look in her eyes that told Elsa her mind was far away from the conversation. She felt the pendant on her necklace warm slightly and she quickly excused them from the conversation, gently leading Sera to a nearby corner without any guests.

Once they were separated from most of the guests, Elsa moved so she was between Sera and anyone who might be watching. "Are you okay?" Elsa asked.

Sera opened and closed her mouth but didn't say anything. Her eyes drifted past Elsa to the guests behind her, clearly not taking in anything she was seeing.

"You don't have to tell me you're fine." Elsa brought her hand up to the pendant of her necklace again. "I know that isn't true. What's wrong?"

Sera's eyes refocused and met Elsa's gaze, tears gathering in her eyes as she shook her head. Elsa squeezed Sera's hand and guided her around the edge of the room toward the door. She deflected greetings from a number of guests until, finally, they were out in the hallway. Elsa turned back to talk to Sera, but at that moment, several people streamed out of the party, talking loudly as they looked for the bathroom. Elsa gave them all polite nods as she pulled Sera up the stairs to the second level of the castle.

When they reached the library, she pulled Sera inside and locked the door behind them. She moved to the center of the room, then took both of Sera's hands in her own before speaking. "What's wrong, my love?"


	2. Chapter 2 - That Perfect Girl Is Gone

Hey everybody!

This next chapter is a little heavy, but I hope you still like it. I'm trying to show a new side of my OC, Sera, so I hope she doesn't seem to out of character. Thanks for all the follows and reviews, they're very motivating!

Content warning: Brief mentions of abuse

Sera said nothing and kept her eyes fixed on the floor.

Several seconds past and Sera still didn't respond. Elsa's brow creased deeply with concern, and she brought a hand up to Sera's cheek, startled to find it wet with tears.

"Please, tell me what's wrong so I can help. I hate seeing you like this." Elsa desperately searched Sera's face for some sign of what was wrong, but Sera wouldn't meet her eyes. She pulled Sera into a hug, moving her hand in slow, comforting circles on Sera's back. "I'm here. Whenever you're ready to talk."

They held this position for several moments, Sera sniffling and shaking slightly as she cried. Eventually Sera's breathing evened out, and she moved back from the hug. She wiped the tears from her face before taking Elsa's hands again.

"I don't…" Sera began, then stopped, swallowing thickly as tears gathered in her eyes again. "I've never tried to talk about this before."

Elsa squeezed Sera's hands and gave her a small, encouraging smile. "I appreciate you trying. I'm here with you as you figure it out."

Sera sighed, still blinking back tears as she spoke. "I feel silly, getting upset about someone criticizing a flower display."

Elsa shook her head firmly and waited until Sera looked up to meet her gaze. "It's not silly. And I'm guessing your upset about something bigger than flower arrangements."

Sera nodded, chewing on her lower lip as her eyes moved down to their joined hands. "Asmund, when he pointed out the color was wrong…" She trailed off as her face tightened, the muscles in her jaw clenching as she worked up to speaking again. "It reminded me of how Casimir used to criticize me. The way he said it, and he kind of looks like Casimir, too."

"Asmund definitely isn't invited to anymore of our parties, then," Elsa said, frowning. Then she shrugged. "Which I don't think anyone will be too upset about. Expect maybe Asmund. I honestly can't tell if he enjoys the parties or not, he always looks so disapproving of everything."

Elsa paused when she caught sight of Sera's pained expression. "But I'm getting off topic, sorry." She took a deep breath and paused for a second to gather her thoughts. "Casimir abused you for most of your life, it makes sense if someone who looks and acts like him upsets you."

"Casimir, he—" Sera swallowed and had to start again. "He always made me do everything perfectly, exactly the way he wanted it. And he…didn't treat me well when I messed up."

Elsa felt the pendant of her necklace warm and cool rapidly and watched Sera's face as she went through a series of emotions. Anger, sadness, rage, grief, and others that disappeared so quickly she couldn't identify them. She could tell Sera had more to say, so she waited, trying to fill her eyes with as much patience, love, and understanding as she could.

After a few seconds, Sera's face hardened into a blank expression. "And he hated it when I showed any sort of emotion. He said emotions were dangerous because they would make me lose control of my powers. The punishment for being emotional was almost as bad as the one for messing up." Sera paused, her lips pressing into a thin line as she gathered her thoughts. "Kadira taught me the opposite, that it's okay to make mistakes and that having emotions was a good thing. But it was hard believing that when those things brought me so much pain with Casimir."

Elsa waited for a moment until she was sure Sera was done speaking. "Kadira is the one who taught you that letting go exercise you showed me, the one to release your emotions?"

"She did." Sera sniffed and bit down on her lower lip. "But that exercise is more about getting rid of emotions than actually feeling them. And I've noticed that it doesn't work for everything. It works okay for smaller stuff that's closer to the surface, but not big, complicated feelings. Which is what I've been having more of lately."

"What kind of emotions are they?"

Sera shrugged. "It's hard to say. They're things I've shoved down and ignored for years, so now they're big, messy knots of lots of different emotions. Things I didn't really process when they were happening, and they're coming back now when I actually feel safe." Sera swallowed thickly, her eyes shining with tears. "I hate that they're coming back now. I feel like they're ruining everything we've built together."

Elsa let go of one of Sera's hands and put a hand on Sera's cheek, guiding her head down so Elsa could kiss her forehead. "You're not ruining anything. And I'm glad you feel safe enough to process this now." She fell silent as a new thought occurred to her, her thumb idly stroking Sera's cheek. "How long have you been feeling like this?"

"A few months."

A pang of emotion went through Elsa, a swirling combination of sadness and distress and hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Sera leaned into Elsa's hand on her cheek and closed her eyes. "I was punished for talking about my emotions growing up. It's not easy to just let that go." Her shoulders slumped and she sighed deeply. "And these emotions are really big and complicated and…scary. Dealing with them is too scary."

Elsa wrapped Sera into a fierce hug, doing her best to communicate her love and support through it. "I had no idea. I'm sorry I didn't notice. You've been acting normally the whole time."

Sera snorted and smiled bitterly. "That's a defense mechanism. If someone keeps punishing you for acting like something is wrong, you get really good acting like everything is fine." She grimaced. "The bigger feelings have been coming up for a while. I've just been pushing them down but they're building up too much to ignore now."

Elsa pulled back from the hug but kept her arms around Sera, her brow creasing as she thought. "Do you want to try processing those big emotions that have been building up?"

Sera flinched. "Not really."

"I think it might be worth trying. I know its scary but, like you said, things are building up, and if you don't take care of them, they'll burst out in a way you don't want."

Sera stiffened and quickly took a step back, out of Elsa's arms. "I know that."

Elsa had to fight the urge to embrace Sera as she watched her withdraw into herself. "I know that's what Casimir told you, but he was lying, trying to manipulate you," Elsa said quickly, raising her hands with her palms facing Sera. "He tricked you into thinking you couldn't handle your emotions, but I know you can. I'm not lying to you and I'm saying this out of love. I promise."

Sera wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head as she looked away from Elsa. " don't think I can do it."

"I get that it's scary. But you can't only shut down the emotions you dislike. Cutting yourself off from fear, anger, and sadness would also take away good emotions, like love and joy."

Elsa waited, holding her breath, until Sera's arms slowly relaxed and fell to her sides. A moment later, Sera raised her eyes to meet Elsa's gaze. There was so much pain in Sera's eyes that Elsa felt tears building in her own.

"I'm worried—" Sera stopped, closing her eyes as more tears slipped down her cheeks. When she spoke again, it was slow, purposeful, as she tried to keep her voice from breaking. "Digging into these emotions could change thing. I like the way things are now and I know our routine, how to do all of it perfectly. If things change, I won't know what I'm doing any more." Sera took a shuddering breath, her voice quavering. "And I don't know how to handle that."

"I get why it's scary. It was scary for me, too, when I tried to do this. But change can also bring good things, not just bad. And…" Elsa trailed off, her eyes dropping to the floor where moonlight was slowly creeping across the carpet. "You can't bottle up your emotions forever. It's going to catch up with you eventually," she said softly. "We both know that."

Sera was tense again, her jaw clenched, but some of the anguish had left her expression. "I know you're right. But I don't know how to actually process things. Like I said, the exercise Kadira taught me doesn't work anymore."

Elsa opened her arms and barely had to wait before Sera stepped into them. She placed her hands on Sera's shoulders while Sera automatically slid her arms around Elsa's waist.

Elsa watched her for a moment with a sad smile, then tilted her head slightly to the side. "Maybe we can come up with a new way to do this."

Sera held her gaze for a moment, hope overtaking the sadness in her eyes, then nodded.

Elsa leaned up to place a soft kiss on Sera's forehead. "Thank you for trusting me," she whispered against Sera's skin. She kissed her again before pulling back and tilting her head forward, waiting for Sera to mimic her so their foreheads were touching. Elsa moved her right hand over Sera's heart, where she could feel Sera's heart pounding. "Close your eyes," she said slowly. She waited until she saw Sera shut her eyes, then followed suit. "Now, tell me how you feel."

Sera instantly stiffened, her heart racing even faster under Elsa's hand.

"You're okay," Elsa reminded her. "You're safe. It's just me and you here, and I'm not going to judge you for anything you feel." She felt a lump rise in her throat, and she fought to keep her voice steady. "Remember that we're not doing this alone anymore."

Sera's breath became ragged in a way that Elsa knew she was crying, but she still managed to speak. "I feel…scared. And I feel silly about feeling scared," she murmured.

"It's okay to be scared. This is a big deal for you."

Elsa could feel the muscles in Sera's face twitching as she worked up to talking again. "The main feeling is fear." Sera stopped and swallowed, forcing herself to breathe evenly. "But there's also frustration that I'm still affected by my past. And the idea of actually dealing with my emotions is overwhelming." She paused to take a deep breath and hold Elsa even closer to her. "But there's also gratitude that you're offering to do this with me. And love. So much love for my girlfriend."

Elsa waited until she was sure Sera was done talking, then moved her head upright and opened her eyes. She waited until Sera opened her eyes, then raised a hand stroke Sera's cheek. "I'm proud of you, my love."

Sera gave her a small, tired smile and turned her head to press a kiss into Elsa's palm. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome, my love." Elsa smiled at her fondly as the pendant on her necklace began to radiate a soft, steady warmth. "We can do this as many times as you need to. And I'll be with you every time. I promise."

Sera pulled Elsa into a hug, tears pricking her eyes as she clung to Elsa tightly. "I love you," she mumbled into Elsa's hair.

"I love you too," Elsa said, hugging her back just as fiercely.


	3. Chapter 3 - A Daisy and a Kiss

Hey readers!

I apologize for the long delay in getting this chapter up. I was sick for a while and had a lot going on, but I'm feeling better and things have calmed down, so I'm ready to write again! This chapter is just some short fluff because it's fun to write and I think we could all use a bit of fluff right now.

Thanks for reading and an extra big thank you to anyone who leaves a review.

Elsa thanked the florist again as she gathered the bouquet she had purchased. She turned and walked toward the tables outside a café on the other side of the square, where Sera, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf were waiting for her. As she got closer, she could see Sera sitting at a table with her back toward her. Elsa took care to stay behind Sera as she approached, hoping to keep the flowers a surprise. She craned her neck to the side to see that Anna and Sera were sitting on opposite sides of the table and engaged in an arm-wrestling contest. Kristoff and Olaf were also seated at the table cheering them on. Elsa stopped several feet away from the table before any of them noticed her, smiling as she watched the contest play out.

Kristoff looked from Anna's face, which was screwed up in concentration, and Sera's, which was completely calm with no signs of effort. He shook his head and looked back at Anna. "There's no way you're going to win."

"Shut up, you're breaking my concentration." Anna swatted at him with her free hand but kept her eyes focused on Sera.

"Yeah, Kristoff, be quiet! Anna's about to actually win this time," Olaf said, rubbing Anna's shoulder. "You're so close, I know you can do it!"

Taking a deep breath, Anna pushed against Sera's hand as hard as she could. She grunted and strained for several seconds but Sera's hand didn't move at all.

Kristoff laughed, crossing his arms as he sat back in his chair. "Sera does a hundred push-ups every morning _and_ an hour of combat training." He leaned over the table, making Anna's eyes dart to his face. "It's impossible for you to beat her."

Anna scoffed and gently smacked him again. "I said be quiet, I'm still trying to concentrate." With an expression of intense concentration, she stuck her tongue out the corner of her mouth and pressed her free hand on the one entwined with Sera's with all her strength.

It did nothing, however. Sera yawned and feigned disinterest, amusement shining in her eyes as Anna continued to struggle. Anna huffed in annoyance and stood up, shuffling to the side of the table without letting go of Sera's hand. She leaned forward, putting all her body weight behind her two hands, and pushed.

Kristoff watched silently, raising an eyebrow after several seconds passed and Sera's hand still didn't budge. His eyes flicked to Sera. "Is this even hard for you?"

Sera shook her head and grinned. "Not at all."

"Will you two stop talking!" Anna gasped as she panted with effort. "I'm _trying_ to _focus_. I'm going to win this time!"

Elsa tried her best to keep her laughter silent as she watched. She paused, squinting at Sera for a second, then plucked a daisy from her bouquet. Hurrying to the table, she bent down to give Sera a kiss on the cheek and tucked the flower behind her ear. Sera looked dazed and her hand slammed down on the table as Anna flew forward.

"I won? I won!" Anna squealed, jumping up and throwing her arms in the air.

"Only because Elsa helped you," Kristoff said. "That's cheating. You can't get outside help in an arm-wrestling contest."

"Well, I think doing a hundred pushups every morning is cheating," Anna shot back, poking him in the chest as she tried not to smile. "So, really, _Sera_ is the one who cheated, not me."

The two continued to argue playfully as Elsa turned back to Sera. Sera had a blissful smile on her face as she reached up to touch the flower behind her ear. "That was definitely worth losing for," she mumbled happily, still looking dazed.

Elsa smiled as a strong, warm pulse came from her necklace, matching the radiant look on Sera's face. "I got these for you," she said, holding out the bouquet.

Sera took the flowers and all but melted into her chair as she clutched them gently to her chest. "Thank you, my love."

Elsa could see Sera's necklace light up as she leaned down to kiss her again. After a few seconds, she broke the kiss and planted one more on Sera's forehead before pulling back. "I'm glad you like them."

"I _love_ them." Sera bent her head to smell the flowers, then looked up at Elsa. "And I love you."

Elsa let out a happy sigh. "I love you, too." She looked up to see Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf watching them, and blushed slightly.

"You two," Anna said, walking to the other side of the table and taking one of Sera's hands and one of Elsa's. "Are so cute. And I am so, so happy for both of you."

"Thank you," Elsa said, smiling as she squeezed Anna's hand. "I'm happy, too." She felt a warm rush from her pendant again and knew that Sera was feeling just as happy.

"Oh, look, someone's starting a puppet show," Olaf said, pointing to where several people were setting up a stage on the other side of the square. "Let's go watch!"

"Yes, let's!" Anna said as she set off toward the stage, towing Elsa and Sera along behind her.


	4. Chapter 4 - Wrestling with Fear

Sera watched Kristoff carefully as he examined the new ice picks displayed in the blacksmith's window. "So, have you asked her yet?"

Kristoff blushed slightly and didn't take his eyes on the tools. "Uh, well, you know, I've just been waiting for the, uh, the…right time."

"Are you _actually_ waiting for the 'right time' or are you just too chicken to ask her?" Sera asked, elbowing him in the ribs.

Kristoff pushed her away playfully. "I'm waiting for the right time, honest."

Sera snorted and lunged forward to put Kristoff into a headlock. "I know you're lying, you chicken shit. You just need to ask her; you know she'll say yes! You can't spend forever waiting for the 'right time,' ice brain."

Kristoff struggled in her hold, laughing as he tried to get away. "Well, I definitely can't ask her while you have me in a headlock."

"Actually, that's a great idea, let's go find her." Sera glanced around the market but couldn't spot Anna. "I don't see her yet, but I know she's here somewhere."

"I could help you look if you let me out of this headlock," Kristoff said, his voice slightly muffled from Sera's arms around his head.

Sera grinned and shook her head. "Not a chance, you might turn tail and run away. Don't worry, I can find her."

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"Look at this one!" Anna said, holding the snow globe carefully as she bent down to show it to Olaf. "It's got Oaken's sauna inside."

Olaf watched the tiny flakes of white fluff settle around the miniature replica of Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Sauna, then shook his head. "It's pretty, but it's not what I'm looking for."

Elsa brought her hand to her chin as she looked at the display of snow globes spread out in front of her. She spotted one with a beach scene, complete with a folding chair and umbrella. "How about this one?" Elsa asked as she picked it up and offered it to Olaf.

Olaf gasped and grabbed his head with his hands, lifting it a few inches above his body. "That one's perfect!"

Anna squinted at the snow globe Elsa was holding. "Snow on a beach? That doesn't make any sense."

"It doesn't, but Olaf seems to like it anyway," Elsa said, gesturing to Olaf as he danced around happily while hugging his snow globe.

Anna laughed and watched Olaf celebrating while Elsa paid the vendor. The sounds of a scuffle rose above the crowd behind them and Anna turned around, rising up on her toes to see what was going on. A moment later, Sera and Kristoff broke through the crowd and stumbled to a halt in front of her. Sera still had Kristoff in a headlock, but he was not making it easy for her to maintain it.

"Okay," Anna said slowly. "Why is my boyfriend in a headlock?"

"Because," Sera said, grunting as Kristoff began to fight her harder. "He has something he needs to talk to you about, but he won't do it."

"I'm guessing letting him go might help," Anna suggested, raising an eyebrow as Kristoff tried in vain to escape.

Sera shook her head. "But then he'll run away without talking to you."

"No, I won't!" Kristoff yelled indignantly. He twisted in Sera's hold and managed to break free for a moment before Sera grabbed him again, almost knocking him onto the cobblestones. The two began to wrestle, each shouting at Anna to help them. Anna immediately joined the fray, trying to separate them as she yelled right back.

Elsa watched the three of them shouting and flailing at each other, wringing her hands as they got louder and louder. One of them yelled again and Elsa flinched, withdrawing into herself.

Suddenly, the voice Elsa had heard the previous night called out with the same series of notes as before. She winced, shutting her eyes and covering her ears, but she couldn't block out the voice as it continued to sing. The pendant on Sera's necklace flashed and Sera immediately released Kristoff, hurrying over to Elsa.

"What's wrong?" Sera asked. She put her hands on Elsa's shoulders, trying to use her body to shield her from the people around them.

Elsa shook her head, her eyes still shut tight.

Sera glanced around until she spotted an alley between two buildings that offered some cover. "We'll be right back," she said to Anna and Kristoff as she led Elsa into the alley.

Anna looked like she was going to protest and reached out to Elsa, but Sera had already ushered her away. Frowning, Anna turned back to Kristoff. "Was there something you wanted to ask me?"

Kristoff cleared his throat. "I, um, yeah I was wondering—" He had started to drop to one knee but stopped when he saw Anna's eyes dart to where Elsa and Sera were sheltering in the alley. He stood up and wrapped Anna in a hug. "Elsa will be okay. Sera takes really good care of her."

Anna returned Kristoff's hug, but her frown deepened, and she didn't say anything in response.


	5. Chapter 5 - Confessions of Imperfections

**Hey readers!**

**I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy and that my fic can give you a breather from everything that's going on. Stay strong and thanks for reading.**

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Sera stepped into the shadow of the building and gathered Elsa in her arms. She held her for a moment, pressing soft kisses to Elsa's forehead until she stopped trembling. Once Elsa had calmed down, Sera drew back and studied her face closely. "What's wrong, my love?"

Elsa dropped her forehead onto Sera's shoulder to avoid meeting her eyes and didn't answer.

Sera's brow creased deeply as Elsa's silence stretched on. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, working herself up to saying something. "Would you…would you want to try another check for our emotions?"

Elsa raised her head, giving Sera a surprised look that quickly shifted to appreciation. She nodded and gave Sera a small, soft smile. Sera nodded back and shifted so one of her hands was over Elsa's heart. Then they both leaned in until their foreheads were touching.

"Let's just breathe for a minute first," Sera said, her breath catching slightly. They spent the next few moments inhaling and exhaling slowly, gradually relaxing in each other's arms.

"Are you ready?" Sera whispered.

Elsa swallowed and took one last deep breath. "I-I don't know, I…there were so many people and you three were shouting and it was just—" She cut herself off as her voice began to quaver.

Sera moved her hand from Elsa's heart and wrapped both arms securely around her. "It's okay, I get it. Crowds are hard. We were both really secluded growing up and it can be a lot when you're in a big group of people." Sera placed a gentle kiss on the side of Elsa'. "Can you tell me how you feel?"

Elsa closed her eyes and mentally gathered herself before she spoke. "I was having fun with Anna and Olaf, but then the shouting and the crowd made me really anxious. Feeling anxious made me even more anxious because I'm so worried I'm going to accidentally use my powers to hurt someone or say the wrong thing and mess up what we have now."

Elsa's heart rate was climbing again, her hands forming into fists as she gripped Sera's tunic. "I mean messing things up with Anna and I spending time together, and the gates being open. I'm just so afraid I'm going to mess up and all these good things will be ruined.

"But there's also a part of me that…that's wondering if there's something more out there for me. For us." Elsa's pulse was pounding in her ears and she barely heard herself speak as the words poured from her mouth. "I mean, I'm happy here, happy with the way things are, but a have this itch, this restlessness that's telling me to look for something more." She squeezed her eyes shut, tears slipping down her cheeks as she leaned into Sera's embrace. "It's small now, and I can ignore it, but I'm so afraid it will grow and take all this away from me."

Sera took a long, silent moment to process what Elsa had said, stroking her hair and staring blankly at the wall behind her. Her eyes refocused and she took a deep breath, but Elsa could feel rapid, uneasy pulses from her necklace as Sera spoke.

"I know what you mean," Sera said slowly. "I have that restlessness, too. And it's confusing, because, just like you, I'm _happy_ here. Happier and more comfortable than I've ever been.

"But I have that itch, the one asking if maybe there's something else out there. I've been trying to ignore it, too, but I don't like that it's there." Sera sighed and moved her hand to rub slow circles on Elsa's back. "It's like…if this were a fairy tale, I'd say we're at the happy ending. We survived our trials and won the day and now we get our well-deserved rest and happiness. But there's a part of me that wants more." She buried her face in Elsa's shoulder, muffling her voice as she spoke. "And that bothers me, too."

Elsa was about to respond when the mysterious voice called out again, ringing louder in her ears than her racing heart. She grimaced, tightening her arms around Sera. "There's something else." Elsa paused, trying to think of a rational way to explain. "I know this is going to sound…odd, but there's this voice."

Sera didn't say anything, but she went very still, and Elsa could tell she was listening intently.

Elsa took a deep breath, then spoke as quickly as she could. "It calls to me sometimes. It sings a series of four notes and then disappears. I heard it in the market, and that's part of why I got overwhelmed."

Sera's brow furrowed and she was silent for a moment while she chewed on her lower lip. "Can you tell who or what it is?"

Elsa shook her head. "No. And it doesn't seem to call at any particular moment."

Sera frowned. "Does it seem like it's coming from something evil?"

Elsa shook her head again. "It doesn't seem good or evil, it's just…there. And it feels like it's calling for me to follow it." She held her breath, watching Sera's face closely.

Sera sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "I don't know what to say. Obviously, you hearing a random voice that no one else can hear is something we need to look into at some point, but I'm not sure how to do that. And I'm guessing following the voice would change things, which is scary for both of us." Sera took a step back and gathered Elsa's hands in her own. She waited to speak until Elsa's eyes met hers. "What do you want to do about it?"

Elsa's chest felt tight and she could feel tears pricking her eyes. "I don't know. It's scary, like you said. And I have no idea how to figure out where the voice is coming from." She let go of Sera's hands to brush the tears from her cheeks. "So, I guess for now we just wait and see what happens."

Sera held her gaze for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, my love. I trust your judgment on this."

Elsa wrapped her arms around Sera, hugging her fiercely. "Thank you. And thank you for not freaking out when I told you I was hearing a voice."

Sera laughed softly and kissed Elsa's temple. "I mean, you and I both have elemental powers that we don't know the source of, and I was cursed with an evil crystal for most of my life. Hearing a voice that sings to you that other people can't hear is definitely not the weirdest thing to happen to us."

Elsa buried her face in Sera's neck and took a deep breath, her nose filling with Sera's warm scent. "Thank you. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Sera said as she started running her fingers through Elsa's hair again.

They held each other for a long moment, the pendants on their necklaces return to a steady, calm vibration as they relaxed into each other.


	6. Chapter 6 - A Tearful Confrontation

**Hey readers!**

**I've been trying to do shorter chapters for this fic because I find they're easier to write so I can post new chapters more often. But I'm wondering what you guys think of the shorter chapters. Are they long enough to be interesting? I'd appreciate some feedback if you can spare some time to leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading!**

* * *

After a moment, Sera pulled away and brushed a lock of hair out of Elsa's face. "I think we should probably call it a day. I've definitely had enough of crowds and I'm guessing you have, too."

"Yeah, I think you're right." Elsa took Sera's hand and looked toward the castle. "I could use some time in the library."

Sera smiled at her as Elsa led them out of the alley. "Me, too."

They had only made it a few steps when they heard Anna call out. "Elsa?"

They turned and saw Anna standing a few feet away with a mix of worry, confusion, and a trace of sadness on her face.

"Are you all right?" Elsa asked. She took half a step toward Anna but didn't let go of Sera's hand.

Anna nodded stiffly. "I am. I'm just worried about you. Can we talk for a minute?"

Elsa felt her stomach flip as a tight feeling grew in her chest. "Is it okay if we talk later? I'm not really up for it right now."

"But you're up for talking with Sera," Anna said, her voice quiet so quiet that Elsa could barely hear her.

Sera looked between Anna and Elsa, clearly torn on how to react. Elsa swallowed and squeezed Sera's hand. "You go on ahead, I'll catch up after Anna and I talk."

Sera looked uncertain but nodded and set off on her own toward the castle. Elsa looked away before she could see that Sera stopped at the bridge leading to the castle, pacing as she watched them closely.

Elsa turned back to Anna, wringing her hands when she saw Anna's carefully neutral expression. "Should we, uh, go over there to talk?" she asked, tilting her head toward an empty bench a few feet away.

Anna nodded and walked over to the bench. Elsa followed and hesitated before sitting down, not sure how close she should be to Anna. After a second, she settled on close but not touching and sat down.

Elsa took a deep breath, resisting the urge to fidget with her hands. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Anna grimaced. "I just…I don't know how to put it, I'm—" She huffed and sat back, crossing her arms. "You and Sera are so close, and I love that, but sometimes I feel like you value your relationship with her more than the one you have with me." She paused for a moment, then frowned. "We promised we wouldn't hide things from each other anymore, but I feel like you _are_ hiding something. And I hate that feeling. It makes me feel like a terrible sister because you probably aren't hiding anything."

Elsa stared down at her hands in her lap. "How long have you been feeling like this?"

Anna shrugged. "A few days, maybe. I know I should have talked to you sooner, but I was so afraid of pushing you away by accusing you of something you weren't doing. But, I don't know, lately the feeling that you're hiding something has been getting stronger."

Elsa stiffened and her heartbeat pick up. It took a moment of careful breathing to make sure her voice would be even when she spoke. "It's not that I'm hiding anything, or that I trust Sera more, or anything like that." Elsa sighed, trying in vain to release some of her anxiety. "Being around people is hard for me. I love spending time with you and being outside the castle, but I was alone for so long, that's what I'm used to. It's hard being around people so much again."

"You don't have any trouble being around Sera all the time." Anna's voice was emotionless, but she wouldn't meet Elsa's eyes.

Elsa leaned back against the bench, wrapping her arms around herself. "That's hard to explain. It's just that some people are draining to be around, and others aren't. For me, Sera is one of those people who isn't draining."

Anna's jaw clenched. "But I am."

"No, it's not—I mean yes, but it's not a judgment on who you are or how much I care about you. It's just how things work out." Elsa felt tears brimming in her eyes as she stared at the cobblestones a few feet in front of her. She was too scared to turn and see the look on Anna's face.

Anna didn't say anything, which only made Elsa panic more. Everything in her screamed for her to flee back to the castle but she was sure that would just make things worse. Elsa forced herself to stay seated as her brain replayed the conversation, trying to figure out what went wrong and how she could fix it.

The silence stretched on for another minute until Anna's breathing became ragged in a way that meant she was crying, and Elsa couldn't take it anymore. She stood up, her voice and body trembling. "I'm sorry, Anna, I really am, but I have to go. I'm so sorry, this isn't because—"

"You need to go talk to Sera," Anna broke in. Her arms were crossed and she was staring fixedly at a point not in Elsa's direction.

Elsa watched Anna helplessly for a few seconds, tears slipping down her face, then ran toward the castle.


	7. Chapter 7 - Growing Pains

Anna kept her eyes glued to the ground as Elsa hurried away. Hot tears gathered in her eyes and she swiped at them with the back of her hand. "Why am _I_ feeling hurt?" Anna whispered to herself. She took a few gasping breaths, her sadness suddenly overwhelmed by guilt. "I'm the one who accused Elsa of doing something she's not. I don't even have any proof, it's just a feeling. But I can't seem to let it go." Leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, she held her head in her hands and stifled a sob.

"Anna?" someone asked softly.

She looked up to find Kristoff and Olaf staring at her, both with concern etched into their faces. Anna's lower lip trembled, and she bit down on it as she looked away from them.

Kristoff sat down next to her but made sure to leave a small amount of space between them. "What do you need? Should I talk? Do you want me to hold you or just sit with you?"

"Just sit with me for now," Anna managed, her voice unsteady.

Kristoff nodded and sat back against the bench, folding his hands in his lap. He didn't move or say anything but kept a watchful eye on Anna.

Anna tried to calm herself down, repeating to herself that everything was okay, but the feeling was just too big. "I just don't know what to do," she finally blurted out. "I know Elsa needs her space and I'm trying to respect that, but I want us to be close, like when we were as kids. I don't want us to be distant again. But every time I try to get closer to her, I go too far."

She had to stop talking to swallow thickly around the lump in her throat. "I'm so scared I'm going to push her away again. Every time I cross the line, she runs to Sera, which makes me feel like a bad sister. I'm happy that Elsa has Sera in her life, but I feel like she only confides in Sera and never in me." She took a few deep breaths and pushed down the urge to sob before she could speak again. "Which I guess makes sense, I don't know why she would confide in me when I keep messing things up."

Anna pulled her feet up until her heels were resting on the bench and wrapped her arms around her shins, resting her chin on her knees. "I know Elsa has a good reason to talk to Sera instead of me," she said so quietly that Kristof could barely hear her. "But it still hurts when she chooses Sera every time."

Kristoff sat silently for a moment, then sighed. "Is it all right if I talk now? And can I hold your hand?" He waited until Anna nodded and laid her hand on the bench between them, then laced their fingers together. His eyes unfocused as he stared at nothing for a few moments, gathering his thoughts.

"You and Elsa have been through so much together," he said slowly, watching Anna's face for her reaction. "I really don't think a small disagreement is going to be what drives you two apart." He paused to think again, then squeezed Anna's hand. "I think it's hard is _because_ you two have been through so much. You have all these hurts and memories built up from all the bad things that have happened. That makes your relationship complicated sometimes."

Anna sniffed and nodded, then leaned toward Kristoff. He released her hand and put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her snugly against him before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I know you and Elsa can figure this out."

Anna remained stiff for a few seconds, then gradually began to relax against Kristoff. "I think you're right," she said, still sniffling a little. "I just wish this wasn't so hard."

"I know," Kristoff said. "But you're strong and smart and brave and I know you you're a good sister, and that means you'll figure this out."

Kristoff gave Anna a moment to mull over what he had said before he spoke again. "And it might help you understand why Elsa talks to Sera so much if you think about our conversation right now. The discussion that you and I are having, it wouldn't work if you tried to talk to Elsa about. Not because anyone is doing something wrong, it's just that sometimes you can only talk to a certain person about something."

He took both of Anna's hand in his and waited until he caught Anna's eyes before he continued. "And the fact that you're talking to me about this and not Elsa doesn't mean you love or trust Elsa any less, it just means you need to talk to me right now. And it's the same thing when Elsa talks to Sera." He kissed her knuckles on one hand and gave her a gentle smile. "That's all it is. It's not a sign that you to are growing apart."

Anna thought for a moment, then wrapped her arms around Kristoff and hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered. She stayed in this position for a few seconds until she felt something gently touch her shin. Pulling away from the hug, she looked down to see Olaf sitting at her feet, staring up at her with worry all over his face. "Is there something wrong, Olaf?" she asked.

Olaf sat down and pursed his lips, tapping his fingers on his outstretched leg as he thought. "Growing up just seems so hard," he said finally. "It seems like things just get more and more complicated as you grow up and that only makes things worse." He huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms. "Growing up doesn't seem worth it."

Anna patted a spot next to her on the bench and waited until Olaf hopped up beside her. "Things get more complicated when you grow up, but sometimes it does that in good ways, too. You get to experience new things, learn stuff you never knew before, and meet more amazing people." She gave Olaf a small smile, which he returned rather hesitantly. "It's not all bad. I promise."

Olaf nodded and looked at his snow globe, which he had left on the ground in front of them. Anna bent to pick up the trinket, shook it, and placed it in Olaf's lap. His face lit up as he watched the fake snowflakes drift around its beach scene.

They all sat in silence for a moment, looking toward the sky as the pink and orange streaks of the sunset became visible behind the houses around the market square.

"It's weird though," Olaf said. "I'm made of water and water has memory, so you'd think I'd remember all the stuff the water in my snowflakes have done before. Then I wouldn't have to worry so much about growing up."

It took a moment for Anna to register what he had said. "Water has memory," she repeated.

Olaf nodded, his eyes still fixed on his snow globe.

"How does that work?"

Olaf shrugged and shook the snow globe again. "I'm not sure. It's just something I know."

"Well, most snowflakes don't get made into living snowmen, so I don't know how useful those memories would be," Kristoff said. He looked at Anna for a few seconds, then at the castle. "We should probably head back and find some dinner. We don't have to talk to Elsa or Sear yet," he said quickly when Anna shot him a nervous look. "But I think some food would make us all feel better."

Anna nodded and stood up, taking one of Olaf's and one of Kristoff's hands as they walked toward the castle.


End file.
